Factors Affecting the Women`s Entrepreneurship Development of the members in Agricultural Development Specialized Holding Companies of Fars Province

Small-sized businesses and rural entrepreneurship play a major role in improving the life situation of villagers especially the rural women. Today, women`s participation is regarded as a fundamental tool for development, which the formation of small-sized businesses and entrance into entrepreneurship or self-employment are considered as one of its main fields in rural community. The main aim of the study was to analyze factors affecting the development of rural women`s entrepreneurial activities who are the members of Agricultural Development Specialized Holding Companies in Fars Province. The statistical population was 3033 individuals as all of the companies` members of the three main pioneer companies in Shiraz, Marvdasht and Estahban counties. A sample of 393 rural women was selected through multi-stage stratified random sampling using Krejcie and Morgan table. The required data was collected by survey technique using questionnaire. The face validity and reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed by a panel of specialist at Shiraz Unicersity as well as a pilot study among 30 rural women out of the main sample in Siakh-Darenjan. The range of Cronbach`s alpha was between 0.68 and 0.98. Data analysis was done through SPSS19. The findings of research showed that variables such as directors' managerial power, entrepreneurial training, entrepreneurial motivation, promoting policies, marketing activities, creativity, skills in compiling a business plan and the effectiveness of information have been able of predicting 54% of developmental changes in entrepreneurial activities. The variable of directors' managerial power depicted the highest power of predicting the variable of developing entrepreneurial activities.